German authorities have arrested, on tuesday, a far-left extremist who is accused of taking part in an attack on a in Hungary last year.
Hanna S., of German nationality, is the latest suspect apprehended in connection with these attacks perpetrated in February 2023 in Budapest on the sidelines of a far-right rally attracting participants from across Europe.
It was a gathering known as “Honor Day” by which neo-Nazi circles commemorate an unsuccessful attempt on February 11, 1945 by the German army, aided by the SS and Hungarian collaborators, to free themselves from the siege led by the Red Army against Budapest. With other members of her group, Hanna S. allegedly hit three people several times, including with batons, and sprayed them with pepper spray.
“The victims suffered multiple bruises, particularly to the head,” specifies the prosecution. In March, prosecutors announced the detention of another suspect, Simeon T., on similar charges. Their group was nicknamed the “Hammer gang”, and its leader is said to be Lina E., a student from Leipzig. Last year, a German court sentenced Lina E. and three other activists to several years in prison following violent attacks on suspected far-right supporters.
The young woman has become a symbol for activists, with the slogan “Free Lina” appearing regularly at far-left rallies.